Hotel Principe Pio

"Hotel Principe Pio was a good hotel for the price, and in a fairly central location. We found that the rooms were not well insulated and could hear almost any noise in the hallway (down to a water bottle opening), but thankfully guests were respectful and it still ended up being a fairly quiet stay.\n\nThe staff were nice and when I inquired about getting a different pillow (the original pillows were fairly uncomfortable) they helped me that day, which made a tremendous difference for my sleep.\n\nOverall, it's a good hotel in a pretty good location, albeit a bit dated and with the potential to be noisy if guests aren't quiet in the halls."

"Stayed in this hotel for a weekend break, I found it satisfactory but would not return.\nLocation is the main positive- it's walking distance to the centre and close to the palace.\nOur room had a musty smell during our visit which was slightly off putting. We felt that we couldn't open the window due to traffic noise (though with window closed it was quiet.)\nBreakfast was a nice continental selection with good opening times."

"Misleading, Dismissive, and Exploitative – Avoid This Hotel\nI’ve booked through travel platforms for years and never had a single issue—until my experience with Hotel Príncipe Pío in Madrid. I mistakenly booked a room for 2 people instead of 3, and when I arrived, I was told I had to pay double the original price to upgrade. I explained clearly and calmly that it was an honest booking mistake, not an attempt to avoid payment.\n\nInstead of trying to work with me, the supervisor was completely unwilling to help—even after Booking.com reached out to advocate on my behalf. He refused to offer any flexibility or understanding.\n\nI was only given three unreasonable options:\n1. Pay for a 3-bedroom apartment on the spot for €694 (with no guarantee that Booking.com would refund the original booking),\n2. Accept that I’d lose my original payment entirely,\n3. Or rent a second room just for my 16-year-old son at a cost of €362.72.\n\nIt became clear this wasn’t just about following policy—it felt like an intentional push to extract more money from a simple mistake. I made it very clear that it was not my intention to pay more, and I expected at least a fair conversation. Instead, I was gaslighted, dismissed, and given no real solution.\n\nIn the end, I refused to pay any extra, left the hotel, and stayed elsewhere—where I was treated with respect and paid the same amount I would have spent here.\n\nMeanwhile, Hotel Príncipe Pío kept the full payment, offered no refund, and left me with a deeply disappointing and stressful experience.\n\nTravelers, be warned: if you make even the smallest mistake, this hotel will show no flexibility, empathy, or basic professionalism.\nI strongly recommend staying somewhere else."